There is a restaurant in New Orleans named The Camellia Grill, but the grill part of the name is a bit misleading. The Camellia Grill is one of the finest places to eat in the South.

The patrons are served by waiters in white jackets and black bow ties. White linen tablecloths, cloth napkins, and silver are part of the service. There is a snack bar at the Camellia Grill, but there are also tables in the dining room. While you are there, be sure to order Crème Brûlée for dessert. The Camellia Grill’s Crème Brûlée is the best I’ve ever eaten, and the Camellia Grill is a fine eating establishment that oozes the charm of the Deep South.

I am telling you about this now, because this fine Southern establishment is called “The Camellia Grill,” It is not named the Daisy Diner or the Rosebud Restaurant, The Camellia Grill is called by the name Camellia, which is a flowering shrub that is the essence of the Deep South,

One of my main reasons for moving back to Mississippi was so that I could have a shot at growing camellias again, and this year, I have three types of camellias growing in my garden:

October Magic Camellia – Image Credit Southern Living
Height 6′ – 8′

Kanjiro Camellia -Image Credit: Monrovia
Height: 8′ – 10′

Yuletide Camellia – Image Credit The Sill
Height 8′ – 10′

Yuletide is a perfect name for this plant which has bright red flowers that rest in pools of deep waxy green leaves.

I am a big proponent of Four Seasons of Gardening, and Camellias are a brilliant blooming plant for late fall–just as most of the rest of the garden has gone to sleep and just before, the winter freezes.

You see, I live in North Mississippi, and my garden freezes during the winter.

During the winter, I celebrate the color of the birds that visit my feeders, but from mid-November until the freezes, the camellias are gorgeous.